Walking toy

ABSTRACT

A walking toy for a child which may simulate a horse and which includes a body having a seat for the child which may simulate a saddle, with a front pedestal depending from the front of the body and a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seat, but extending rearwardly and downwardly to a laterally extended base under the rear of the body. The front pedestal also has a laterally extending base, and each base is longitudinally convex, so that the child may shift his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal to cause the rear pedestal to swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and shift his weight rearwardly substantially upon the rear pedestal, to cause the front pedestal and body to move forwardly and away from the rear pedestal. An accessory for the walking toy may be a flat board having a rear, depending strut, with a lower, concave notch to fit on the body just forwardly of the front rim of the saddle, and a pair of front, depending ears, each having a notch to fit upon a handle which extends from the opposite sides of the simulated horse head.

ilnite States Patent 1 Proctor et al.

[ 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] WALKING TOY [75] Inventors: Rudy R. Proctor, Arvada; Denver L.

Proctor, Wheat Ridge, both of C010.

[73] Assignee: Jet-X Corporation, Denver, C010.

[22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 111,487

{52] US. Cl ..280/1.177, 280/1.182 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 19/00 [58] Field ofSearch...280/l.175,1.177,l.l82, 1.183

Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia Attarney-Van Valkenburgh & Lowe [57] ABSTRACT A walking toy for a child which may simulate a horse and which includes a body having a seat for the child which may simulate a saddle, with a front pedestal depending from the front of the body and a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seat, but extending rearwardly and downwardly to a laterally extended base under the rear of the body. The front pedestal also has a laterally extending base, and each base is longitudinally convex, so that the child may shift his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal to cause the rear pedestal to swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and shift his weight rearwardly substantially upon the rear pedestal, to cause the front pedestal and body to move forwardly and away from the rear pedestal. An accessory for the walking toy may be a flat board having a rear, depending strut, with a lower, concave notch to fit on the body just forwardly of the front rim of the saddle, and a pair of front, depending ears, each having a notch to fit upon a handle which extends from the opposite sides of the simulated horse head.

5 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTED/wm 192s SHEETIUFQ ATTORNEYS PATENTEDAPRS I975 3 7 24.872 sum 2 OF 3 INVENTOR.

Rudy R. Procfor Denver L. Proctor Fig. 7 BL. W

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDAPR 3 I973 SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTORS Rudy R. Proctor Denver L. Proctor 12: KM FM A TTORNEYS WALKING TOY The present invention relates to walking toys for small children, and more particularly to a walking toy which may be moved by a child mounted upon it.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved walking toy for a child which may be formed to represent or to symbolize an animal which may be ridden, such as a horse. Accordingly, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a walking toy and sometimes simply as a toy horse. It is understood, however, that the scope of the invention is not at all restricted by such a designation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved walking toy which will move, as across a room, as it is rocked back and forth by movements of a child seated upon it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy walking horse which is a smooth surfaced, neat appearing unit having a saddle-like seat and which is proportioned to permit a small child to easily climb upon it and move it by shifting his weight back and forth without any significant risk of being injured by falling off the toy, tipping it over, or injuring himself upon the surfaces of the toy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved walking toy having a simple, pivoted arrangement connecting a front pedestal and body portions with a rear pedestal of the toy to permit the front pedestal and rear pedestal to swing together and then apart, thereby producing a walking action whenever the child rocks the toy by shifting his weight forwardly and rearwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved walking toy which is a lightweight, rigid construction formed as hollow shells of selected synthetic resin plastic materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved walking toy which may be combined with a desk board carried upon the horse to permit a child to use it while he is astride the walking toy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our present invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements, as hereinafter described and illustrated in preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left side elevation of a toy walking horse constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the toy horse shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevations similar to FIG. 1, but on a reduced scale and depicting the pedestals of the toy as being separated, in FIG. 4, and moved together, in FIG. 3, illustrative of the manner in which the toy horse walks when it is ridden by a child;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section, as taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the rear pedestal, removed from the body to which it is normally connected;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary underside view, partially in section, taken along line 88 of FIG. 5 but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 but on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 10 is a right side perspective view of the walking toy horse to illustrate a modified embodiment thereof which includes a drawing or desk board accessary mounted on the fore part of the toy;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the upper portion of the toy horse and accessory;

FIG. 12 is a transverse section of the upper portion of the toy horse and of the board accessory, taken along line 12l2 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the accessory board, but showing the underside thereof; and

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the top of the accessory board.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the walking toy T is shown as a horse, or more precisely as a symbolic horse, since the toy may be easily formed to depict other animals or even symbolize an inanimate object, such as a desk and seat. Regardless of the form selected, the basic features of the toy include a longitudinally disposed, unitary, rigid body section B which is generally rounded in form without sharp corners and of a width such that it may be straddled by a small child. The front end of this body section includes a head 20 which is preferably, but not necessarily, retracted against the body section to provide a more compact structure. The primary physical features of the head of a horse are represented, such as a mouth 21, eyes 22, ears 23 and mane 24, to produce a realistic appearance for the toy. The center portion of the body is formed as a simple saddle 25 which is designed to seat a child, having a front rim 26 and a rear rim 27. Hollow, circular handle bars 28 extend from each side of the head, behind the ears, to be held by a child seated upon the saddle, especially when he rocks back and forth to walk the toy, as described below. The rear of the body section is generally rounded to a form depicting the thighs 29 and tail 30 of a horse, as shown.

The body B is supported by a front pedestal F and a rear pedestal R, with the front pedestal being integral with the body and the rear pedestal being pivoted thereto, as hereinafter described. Each pedestal is a hollow, comparatively thick and wide member, generally rectangular in section, and the two form pylon-like supports, each expanding downwardly to a comparatively broad, hollow, box-shaped supporting base. Thus, a leg column 32 of the front pedestal F merges upwardly into the front portion of the body B and expands downwardly to a comparatively wide base 33 having a laterally generally straight but a forwardly and rearwardly convex bottom 34, to permit a rocking or sliding motion, as hereinafter described. A stirrup rib 35 outstands from each s ide of the leg column 32 above the base 33, on which the child's feet may be placed when the child is seated upon the toy, although it is not necessary that the childs feet reach the stirrup ribs for use of the toy. When the child leans forward, he 1 may, if he is of sufficient size, stand upon the stirrup ribs. To generally complete the body B, as in FIG. 5, the underside is formed with a concave pocket 38 having a size to receive the upper front end of the rear pedestal R and in the top an arcuate, transversely disposed pivot socket 39 directly under the saddle but slightly forward of the center thereof, as well as a vertical channel 40 at each side and directly beneath the opposite ends of the pivot socket 39, for a purpose described below.

The rear pedestal R includes a hollow, substantially rectangular column 42 which enlarges downwardly to a hollow, comparatively wide, box-shaped base 43 having a relatively wide, forwardly and rearwardly convex bottom 44 similar to the bottom 34 of front pedestal F. However, the bottom 44 of the rear pedestal R is preferably provided with a pair of laterally spaced friction strips 45 formed of rubber or other suitable material which are spaced apart, as in FIG. 6, and which extend forwardly from adjacent the rear edge for approximately five-eighths to two-thirds of the length of the. bottom 44, as in FIG. 5. Friction strips 45 may be attached to the underside of bottom 44 by two or more nipples 46 having enlarged, conical heads and insertable through holes 47 in the bottom 44, as in FIG. 5. The conical heads of nipples 46 permit the nipples to be pushed through the holes 47, while the heads of the nipples, being larger in diameter than the holes, are compressed as they pass through the holes but expand after passage through the holes, to affix the strips securely to the bottom of rear pedestal R.

Above column 42, the rear pedestal turns forwardly as an elbow 48 which fits within the body pocket 38 and terminates in a front, closed end 49. The column 42 lies behind the saddle, but the front closed end of the curved elbow 48 carries, as in FIG. 7-, a hollow, I

transverse pivot tube 50 at its top, which fits into the pivot socket 39, as in FIGS. 5 and 6. Pivot tube 50 has a length corresponding to the distance between channels and fits upwardly against the pivot socket 319 in pocket 38 on the underside of body B, as in FIGS. 5 and 6. A pair of nubs 51, as in FIGS. 8 and 9, are located at each side of each channel 40, spaced from the pivot socket a distance corresponding to the diameter of pivot tube 50, to. permit each end of the pivot tube to be snapped past the nubs and thereafter hold the pivot tube 50 in the pivot socket. If desired, after the pivot tube 50 has been snapped into position, a conventional metal screw 52 may be driven into each channel 40, as in FIG. 9.

The lateral width of each pedestal base is such as to provide a laterally stable riding toy, the width of each base being greater than one-half and up to two-thirds the height of the body at the center of saddle 25. The length of each base may be somewhat less than its width, while the radius of curvature of the bottom of each base may be greater than the height of the toy at the saddle, but facilitates tipping the toy as a child rocks it back and forth to move it. The frictional grip strips minimize slipping as the toy is walked, particularly preventing the rear pedestal from slipping on a polished floor.

The walking action of the toy horse is rendered possible by the location of the pivot socket 39 forwardly of the center of the saddle. At the same time, the rear pedestal elbow 48 places the rear pedestal beneath the rear rim 27 of the saddle.

To understand the movements of a child in riding this toy, assume first that the toy is in a balanced position, as shown in FIG. 1. A child sitting in the saddle may let his weight swing towards the rear of the saddle to shift his weight onto the rear pedestal. This causes the front pedestal to move forwardly and the pedestals to thus spread apart as the pressure on the front pedestal is released, as shown in .FIG. 4, with the front pedestal tipped rearwardly and the rear pedestal tipped forwardly. Next, the child will grip handles 26, stand on the stirrup ribs 35, if reachable by the child, and swing his weight forwardly. This movement tips the front pedestal forwardly and pulls the rear pedestal toward the front pedestal, as shown in FIG. 3. The movement may be repeated to swing the pedestals together and apart to move the toy across a room.

The walking toy is necessarily a lightweight unit,

because it is to be operated by shifting the weight of a child riding it forwardly and rearwardly, as explained above, and thus, each part is preferably a hollow structure having a thin wall 53. Each part may be conveniently manufactured from various synthetic resin plastics and is especially suitable for manufacture by rotational molding procedures wherein a charge of liquid resin, ordinarily referred to as plastisol, is introduced into a mold cavity having the form of the body B and front pedestal F, as well as a mold cavity having the form of the rear pedestal R. Each mold is rotated in all directions while it is heated, and as the liquid flows over all surfaces of the mold, it is congealed and set into a rigid form. Various types of plastisols may be used for this purpose and the art of rotational molding, being well known, need not be described further. It will be noted that, in the section of FIG. 5, particularly, the inside of theopposite eye 22, car 23, handle 28, saddle rim 25 and 26, thigh 29 and stirrup rib 35 is seen.

By building the toy to a size which enables a small child to be comfortably seated upon it, it was found that the child's activities could include not only rocking back and forth to walk the toy across a room, but when so comfortably seated, the childs attention may be diverted to simple learning steps or a quieter type of play. Thus, as a further embodiment of the invention, the walking toy may be combined with an accessory A which can be placed over the forward portion of the toy horse, as in FIGS. 10-12, to serve as a blackboard, a desk top or as a table.

The accessory A is a simple unit which is quickly and easily fitted upon the toy horse, The accessory itself is primarily a flat, rectangular member of any suitable size, such as twelve by sixteen inches, with the top surface of a board 55 thereof being preferably flat and smooth, as in FIG. 14, with a raised rim 56 along its rear edge to prevent papers or erasers from rolling off the board when it is tipped slightly. This top surface may also be provided with a slate finish, as in the area 57 of FIG. 14, to permit it to be used as a blackboard, if desired. To mount the accessory on the toy horse, a pair of cats 58 depend from the underside of the board, as in FIG. 13, each ear having an arcuate notch 59 at its bottom to fit onto the corresponding handle 28, as in FIG. 11. A strut 60 depends from the rear edge of the board to rest upon the body of the toy horse, immediately in front of the front saddle rim 26, as in FIG. 10, which rim prevents the sum from slipping rearwardly. Strut 60 is provided with a concave notch 61 at the bottom, as in FIG. 13, shaped to conform to the body B at the point of engagement, as in FIG. 12. Where the toy horse has an upstanding mane 24, as illustrated, a groove 62 may be fonned in the underside .of the board, to receive the crest of the mane, as in FIG.

10. Thus, while the board is merely fitted upon the toy horse, it is securely held in position. The accessory A may be formed of cellular polyurethane, or other suitable lightweight material.

We have now described our invention in considerable detail. However, it is obvious that others skilled in the art can build and devise alternate and equivalent constructions which are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

A walking toy for a child, comprising:

a body having seating means whereupon a child may sit to shift forwardly and rearwardly thereon; a front pedestal depending from the body adjacent to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said front pedestal;

. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point;

. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface,

whereby whenever a child on said seating means shifts his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal of the toy, the rear pedestal will swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and whenever the child shifts his weight rearwardly substantially onto the rear pedestal of the toy, the front pedestal and body will move forwardly and away from the rear pedestal;

. said body and said front pedestal being formed integrally as a hollow shell;

f. said rear pedestal being formed as a hollow shell;

said rear pedestal being provided with an upwardly and forwardly extending elbow and a front end having lateral pivot means; and

said body shell being provided with a pocket on the underside adapted to encompass said elbow of said rear pedestal, during movement of said pedestal relative to said body, said pocket being provided with means for receiving said pivot means of said rear pedestal.

A walking toy as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said lateral pivot means of said rear pedestal comprises a pivot tube;

said pivot receiving means of said pocket of said body shell comprises an arcuate surface for engaging said pivot tube; and

said pocket is provided with a channel at each side,

to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said fiont pedestalc. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point;

d. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface, whereby whenever a child on said seating means shifts his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal of the toy, the rear pedestal will swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and whenever the child shifts his weight rearwardly substantially onto the rear pedestal of the toy, the front pedestal and body will move forwardly and away from the rear Pedestal;

e. said body and said front pedestal being formed integrally as a hollow sheel;

f. said rear pedestal being formed as a hollow shell;

and

g. a hollow lateral rib upstanding from said base at each side of said front pedestal and integral with said hollow front pedestal.

4. A walking toy for a child and an accessory therefor comprising:

a. a body having seating means whereupon a child may sit to shift forwardly and rearwardly thereon;

b. a front pedestal depending from the body adjacent to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said front pedestal;

c. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point;

d. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface; and

e. an accessory comprising a generally flat board provided with means, on the underside thereof, for engaging a portion of the body of said toy forwardly of said seating means.

5. A walking toy and accessory therefor as defined in claim 4, wherein:

said toy simulates a horse and said seating means simulates a saddle having an upwardly extending rim at the front and rear thereof;

a handle extends laterally from each side of the head of the simulated horse;

said accessory is provided with a rear, depending strut having a notch at the lower end for engagement with said body at the front of said front saddle rim; and

said accessory is provided with a pair of front, laterally spaced, depending ears, each having a notch at the lower end for engagement with the corresponding handle. 

1. A walking toy for a child, comprising: a. a body having seating means whereupon a child may sit to shift forwardly and rearwardly thereon; b. a front pedestal depending from the body adjacent to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said front pedestal; c. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point; d. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface, whereby whenever a child on said seating means shifts his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal of the toy, the rear pedestal will swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and whenever the child shifts his weight rearwardly substantially onto the rear pedestal of the toy, the front pedestal and body will move forwardly and away from the rear pedestal; e. said body and said front pedestal being formed integrally as a hollow shell; f. said rear pedestal being formed as a hollow shell; g. said rear pedestal being provided with an upwardly and forwardly extending elbow and a front end having lateral pivot means; and h. said body shell being provided with a pocket on the underside adapted to encompass said elbow of said rear pedestal, during movement of said pedestal relative to said body, said pocket being provided with means for receiving said pivot means of said rear pedestal.
 2. A walking toy as defined in claim 1, wherein: said lateral pivot means of said rear pedestal comprises a pivot tube; said pivot receiving means of said pocket of said body shell comprises an arcuate surface for engaging said pivot tube; and said pocket is provided with a channel at each side, through which the ends of said pivot tube may be moved to pivot position, and said channels are provided with a nub on each side extending toward the center thereof, whereby said pivot tube may be snapped past said nubs and into engagement with said arcuate pivot tube engaging surface.
 3. A walking toy for a child, comprising: a. a body having seating means whereupon a child may sit to shift forwardly and rearwardly thereon; b. a front pedestal depending from the body adjacent to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said front pedestal; c. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point; d. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface, whereby whenever a child on said seating means shifts his weight forwardly onto the front pedestal of the toy, the rear pedestal will swing forwardly toward the front pedestal, and whenever the child shifts his weight rearwardly substantially onto the rear pedestal of the toy, the front pedestal and body will move forwardly and away from the rear pedestal; e. said body and said front pedestal being formed integrally as a hollow sheel; f. said rear pedestal being formed as a hollow shell; and g. a hollow lateral rib upstanding from said base at each side of said front pedestal and integral with said hollow front pedestal.
 4. A walking toy for a child and an accessory therefor comprising: a. a body having seating means whereupon a child may sit to shift forwardly and rearwardly thereon; b. a front pedestal depending from the body adjacent to the front of said seating means, whereby a child upon said seating means may swing his weight forwardly to shift his weight substantially upon said front pedestal; c. a rear pedestal pivotally connected to the body at a pivot point underneath the seating means and depending from the body adjacent to the rear of the seating means and rearwardly of the pivot point; d. each said pedestal having a laterally extended base having a longitudinally convex undersurface; and e. an accessory comprising a generally flat board provided with means, on the underside thereof, for engaging a portion of the body of said toy forwardly of said seating means.
 5. A walking toy and accessory therefor as defined in claim 4, wherein: said toy simulates a horse and said seating means simulates a saddle having an upwardly extending rim at the front and rear thereof; a handle extends laterally from each side of the head of the simulated horse; said accessory is provided with a rear, depending strut having a notch at the lower end for engagement with said body at the front of said front saddle rim; and said accessory is provided with a pair of front, laterally spaced, depending ears, each having a notch at the lower end for engagement with the corresponding handle. 